Cody Rhodes, known as the American Nightmare, regards his WrestleMania 39 match against Roman Reigns as the peak of professional wrestling because of how genuine the moment felt. Their bout, held in front of 67,533 fans at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, remains Rhodes’ favorite match despite many fans being surprised by the outcome.
Rhodes, a celebrated performer who has main-evented WrestleMania twice against Reigns, recalled the moment the match truly connected with the crowd. Speaking to Ringer, he described being caught in a guillotine choke by Reigns and hearing wrestling veterans advise him to stay put and let the audience react. However, rather than feeling like another high-flying spectacle, Rhodes sensed something different:
(Reigns has) got me in a guillotine choke, and you hear these old-timers—God bless them, I love them—you know, ‘Just stay right there and the people will react.’ When you’ve seen the amount of cool flips and awesome stuff… sometimes that seems like, I don’t know, maybe that’s not real anymore.
—Cody Rhodes
He continued describing how the stadium’s atmosphere shifted as he slowly escaped the hold, creating a moment that felt incredibly authentic and elevated the entire experience:
And then in that moment, I remember I’m just slowly wiggling my head out, and I can hear an entire stadium—where the sound goes up—start to move. And I thought, ‘Oh, man. This… they’re into this. How blessed am I that they’re into this?’ And it just… when it’s that good, it feels completely real. Everything seems real.
—Cody Rhodes
Rhodes emphasized the significance of his rivalry with Roman Reigns, calling him
“the greatest enemy of my life”
and likening their clash to an almost insurmountable challenge. The intense history between them stretched over a year, with Rhodes striving to dethrone the Tribal Chief and his Bloodline faction. He credited the emotional weight of their first WrestleMania match for making it his all-time favorite:
Roman is the greatest enemy of my life. And I’m trying to climb a mountain that’s impossible to climb. And that, just… acoustic moment for me—it made it my favorite match of all time.
—Cody Rhodes
Potential for a Third Showdown Between Rhodes and Reigns
Looking ahead, Rhodes hinted at the possibility of another meeting with Reigns, suggesting a trilogy could be in the cards despite their current roles as fan favorites. After SummerSlam 2024, where the One True Champion (OTC) returned and turned babyface by confronting Solo Sikoa, Rhodes remarked on the daunting prospect of facing Reigns again:
It’s one of those where, to a degree, it’s rather, you know, you’re not supposed to say this when you’re a babyface, but it’s rather scary the idea I’ve been in there twice with them, and brother hits hard. So, the idea of that is there to do. I don’t know if anyone saw, but I was tapping the title like this because I know there’s a third one somewhere down the line.
—Cody Rhodes
Rhodes and Reigns have produced some of the most memorable matches of their generation, often compared to legendary rivalries like The Rock versus Stone Cold Steve Austin from <a href="https://cynicaltimes.org/category/wrestling-news/wwe/”>WWE’s Attitude Era. Their chemistry inside the ring continues to captivate fans, making a third WrestleMania encounter highly anticipated.
Although the two have recently teamed up at the Bad Blood event to defeat Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu, their feud appears unresolved. Currently, Rhodes is set to challenge John Cena for the Undisputed WWE Championship at SummerSlam, while Reigns is expected to pursue regaining the title in the future. This dynamic opens the door for their roles to shift, possibly positioning Rhodes as a heel should they clash again.
Significance of Rhodes’ WrestleMania 39 Moment in His Career
The WrestleMania 39 showdown served as a pivotal moment for Cody Rhodes, acting as the catalyst for his journey back to the top of WWE’s hierarchy. Despite falling short at Mania 39, Rhodes’ performance and the match’s emotional weight fueled his redemption arc, culminating in his victory over Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40.
This chapter in Rhodes’ career underscores his resilience and ability to craft deeply engaging stories inside the ring, enhancing his WrestleMania legacy. His rivalry with Reigns highlights the blending of personal history with professional competition, creating compelling narratives that resonate with audiences worldwide.
As both superstars continue to evolve, fans remain eager to witness how their story unfolds, especially with the prospect of future high-stakes matches. Cody Rhodes’ WrestleMania 39 match remains a benchmark for authenticity and passion in pro wrestling, setting a high standard for what is possible at WWE’s biggest stage.
